New Delhi: June 13, 2019

The World Sufi Forum’s chairman, Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichhowchhawi, President & Founder of All India Ulama & Mashaikh Board (AIUMB), an apex body of Sufi Muslims in India applauded and spiritedly welcomed the Centre’s decision to mainstream and modernise the Madrasas across the country.

The Modi government’s focus on the development of the Madrasa education is part of the actual inclusive policies aimed at the betterment of the Muslim minority community rather than the appeasement politics, he said.

Syed Mohammad Ashraf Kichhowchhawi said: “For this historic initiative, I personally thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and pray for the ultimate success in the implementation of this desirable proposal. This goes in full spirit of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ if the plan is put into action.”

He further said that if Madrasas are connected with formal education and mainstream education, lakhs of students enrolled over there can contribute more vigorously to the development of the nation. Syed Kichhowchhawi showed full cooperation to uphold the cause of “Hold Quran in one hand and computer in other” in the nook and corner of the country.

This welcome move reflects an ongoing internal overhaul in the outlook of the BJP leadership towards the Muslims. While the Modi government is gearing up for a major reformation in the madrasa education system, AIUMB seeks to extend all possible support in introducing the new vocational courses, tech-based education programmes and professional skill development will in the Madrasa educational curricula.

As an apex organisation of Indian Sufi Muslims, All Indian Ulama and Mashaikh Board (AIUMB), reaffirms its commitment to work with the Narendra Modi government for mainstreaming the Madrasas, countering extremism and radicalism, setting up education centres to curb the foreign radical ideologies.

“The AIUMB will help prepare the syllabus for such education centres in Muslim areas where counter-extremism Islamic courses based on pluralistic Indian ethos are taught”, said the founder and president of AIUMB and chairman of World Sufi Forum. “Sufism is a way of life and is above religion. It stands for peace. Wherever Sufi ideology got weakened, terrorism grew. The example is Kashmir,” he added.

Kichhowchhawi, however, warned of intermediaries between the Muslims and the Modi government and said that they want the Prime Minister to establish direct contact with the mainstream minorities of India, including the Muslims. He also reminded of PM Modi’s remarks in his Mann ki Baat in which he spoke about his interaction with the Sufi leaders: “I had the opportunity of meeting Sufi saints and scholars… Perhaps, it has become the foremost need for the world to know the true picture of Islam… I am confident that Sufi culture, which is associated with love and generosity will spread this message far and wide. It will benefit Islam as well as humankind”.

In the World Sufi Forum held in March 2016, the AIUMB had submitted a 15-point memorandum to Modi government, demanding among other things, setting up of a Sufi research centre in Delhi and creation of a “Sufi circuit” to promote syncretic Sufi culture, tourism to Indian Sufi shrines.

Founder of World Sufi Forum and AIUMB President Hazrat Syed Ashraf Kichchauchwi has sent a letter of felicitation to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his historic re-election in the Turkish presidential election.

In the letter, AIUMB President has congratulated the Turkish President and said that, this victory belongs to the peoples of the friendly nation of Turkey. The Turkish people have strengthened the hand of the re-elected President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by voting in favour of the President Erdogan.

“We hope that under the dynamic leadership of President Erdogan, Turkey will move ahead towards peace, progress and prosperity”, he said.

“We are praying for the long life, good health and constant success for the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan”, he said.

Recently, I was in the capital of Iran, Tehran when the epoch-making trilateral relations were built between India, Iran and Afghanistan. After 15 years, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi visited Iran to rejuvenate the bilateral ties. He signed a $500m deal to develop Iran’s Chabahar port in a strategic effort to open up India’s trade routes to Afghanistan and Europe. According to the Chabahar project which was agreed between PM Narendra Modi and the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, India will invest billions of dollars in Iran following the removal of sanctions. Indeed, this deal will greatly help to deepen ties between India and Iran in business, commerce, agriculture, culture and education. But one wonders how India and Iran can exert joint efforts in countering extremism and growing radicalism? This is a relevant question because the two countries have also agreed to consult ‘closely and regularly’ on combating the threats of radicalism and terrorism.

Since India and Iran share grave concerns at the spread of radicalised forces, their agreement over close and regular consultation on combating threats of radicalism is well received in the region. To curb extremist thoughts and hardcore philosophies, both countries have great potentials and civilisational forces stemming from their ancient inclusive and pluralistic cultures.

As Narendra Modi pointed out, India and Iran are not new friends. Their friendship [or ‘dosti’ in the Persian language] is as old as history. Through centuries, their societies have stayed connected through culture, art and architecture, poetry, spiritual traditions and commerce. Today, when terrorism and radicalism are among the most baffling problems in the region, it was urgent and timely for the two governments to sit together and brainstorm effective ways to tackle the radical onslaught. Modi has rightly pointed out that India and Iran “share a crucial stake in peace and stability” and that “both share common concerns relating to radicalism and terrorism.” Therefore, the two countries have agreed to enhance cooperation between their defence and security institutions. Already, both establishments have spent a large amount of money on internal security, domestic peace and counter-terrorism. But what seems more effective to help the two countries in their bid to curb extremism is their renewed pledge to preserve the rich ancient culture of religious pluralism, peaceful co-existence and celebration of multiculturalism.

Narendra Modi in Iran. File photo. Twitter/@MEAIndia

The ancient civilizations of the both the Vedic and Islamic countries have been inclusive and welcoming to foreign cultures. In his address to the conference on traditional linkages between India and Iran before winding up his two-day visit to Iran, Mr Modi highlighted Sufism and other cultural linkages as ‘a perfect response to those who preach radical thoughts in our societies’.

It is interesting to note that the current Indian PM has been consistently celebrating the universal appeal of Sufism as ‘a rich product of India’.

It is common knowledge now that after his participation in the World Sufi Forum recently held in Delhi, PM Modi is seen constantly preaching religious pluralism, the composite nature of Indian culture and its diversity. For instance, in his recent visit to Brussels in the wake of terrorist attacks on Belgium, he ardently praised Islam and its offshoot Sufism referring to the World Sufi Forum. He affirmed: “In recent days in India, liberal Islamic scholars, linked to Sufism, said those who speak of terror are un-Islamic. The more such voices rise, the faster the radicalization of youth can be prevented”.

Similarly, in his visit to Iran, the Indian PM delivered a remarkable speech on Sufism and its humanitarian approach to strengthen Indio-Iran relations. Recalling the historical religious and traditional bearings of the two countries, Modi invoked Sufism as the binding force that unites the world as one family. “Sufism, rich product of our ancient links, carried its message of true love, tolerance, acceptance to entire mankind,” he remarked in his speech in Tehran.

In my own recent experience in several historic cities of Iran, particularly Qom, Shiraz, Mashhad, Isfahan and the capital Tehran, I could see the same culture of peace emanating from deep-rooted Islamic mysticism. The pluralistic essence of Sufism which both India and Iran share in common has contributed to the growth of moderate and tolerant societies in both the countries. Iranians reflect the very spirit of Sufism, which Mr. Modi recalled as “voice of peace, co-existence, compassion and equality.” It is equally embedded in the Indian Vedic concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, which means that the ‘World is one family’.

Similarly, there are striking parallels between the ancient heroes and epics of the two countries. The holy shrines [dargahs] of Khawaja Gharib Nawaz in Ajmer Sharif and Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia in Delhi are equally adored in Iran. Much in the same way, Mahabharata of India and Shahnama of Iran, Bhima of Bharat and Rustam of Persia and Arjuna and Arsh of the two countries bear great symbiosis in universal values and egalitarian messages for brotherhood of mankind.

This is an established historical fact that Islam in India and Iran owes much of its existence to Sufi saints and dervishes like Shaikh Sa’adi and Hifiz Sherazi in Iran and the 13th century Sufi saint Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz of Ajmer Sharif in India. Gharib Nawaz came from Iran to India and rendered great humanitarian services. His peace activism is regarded a milestone in the path of love, human equality, spirituality and religious pluralism. Thus, this peaceful and pluralistic Indian tradition ushered in a new era of composite culture in the country which still remains well-spirited and widely accepted among the Indian common masses regardless of faith and creed. After Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz, one of the most celebrated Indian Sufi masters, Makhdum Sayed Ashraf Jahangir Simnani (1287 – 1386 CE) left his birthplace Simnan in Iran and settled in India. Revered by both Indian and Iranian Muslims, Makhdum Simnani was a prominent Sufi Shaikh belonging to the Chishti and Qadiri Sufi orders. He became the disciple of the well-known Sufi saint of Bengal, Hazrat Alaul Haq Pandavi and established his own Sufi order (silsila) through his spiritual disciple Syed Shah Abdur Razzaq Nurul-Ain, the 11th direct descendant of the world renowned Sufi Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani. His shrine is still revered as great Sufi hospice and is known as “Aastana-e-Hazrat Jahangir Simnani” in Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.

The long and short is that Iranian-origin Indian Sufis fervently taught and promoted pacifism, spirituality and non-violence. As a result, the shrines of these saints are still attracting people from all faith traditions even after hundreds of years. In the current situation of growing religious hatred, faith-inspired terror and malice, the Indian and Iranian governments are reminded of these peace actors. It is indeed a welcome move.

A view is emerging in both the countries that the menace of extremism can be better wiped out from the region through the restoration of Rishi-Sufi tradition and propagation of its universal values. Not only the governments, but more of common citizens have developed this impression in their own ideological battle against the extremist thoughts and hardcore philosophies. I met a considerable number of Muslim youths in Iran who consider Islamic State an offshoot of radical Islamism, not just ‘a handiwork of the Jews’ a widespread perception in the global Muslim community. When asked how they try to rebut its ideology, they told me they seek to strengthen Islamic moderation through the doctrine of Mahdism, an Islamic belief in the awaited messiah or spiritual savior of the world from the clutches of the evils.

Iranian Muslims in general are Shiites and, hence, venerate the fourth caliph of Islam, Hazrat Ali as their supreme spiritual leader. He was assassinated by the Kharijites, the first terrorist faction in Islamic history. They indulged in violent takfirism, declaring others kafir [infidel] and thus legitimizing their killings. With the commencement of the 19th century, many new-born Kharijites emerged in the Middle East and took roots in the wider Asian region. They started anti-Sufism and anti-Shia movements with an aim to fan the fire of sectarianism and thus giving rise to extremism among Muslims. The ideology of Kharjiites which basically originated in the time of Hazrat Ali was later propagated among people on the grounds of misinterpreted and seemingly militant Qur’anic verses.

In this entire duration, spiritually inclined masters of the community, the Sufis, remained confined to their conclaves in holy shrines and hospices. As a result, particular fractions of religionists began to adopt theoretical extremism, religious bigotry, takfirism and justification of wanton killings. This is the Kharijite ideology which is now playing havoc across the world and the Middle East in particular.
It is indeed gratifying to note that the two peace-loving countries, India and Iran, with their ancient civilizational and cultural linkages, are on the lookout for an acute anti-extremism alliance. While India has been ideologically fighting the Islamic State on its soil, Iran has been the most proactive Muslim country in breaking terror’s back. Tehran has already committed its military and weaponry in Iraq, offering Baghdad its unconditional support against the self-imposed Islamic caliphate, Daesh’s atrocities.

Since Iran is a Shia-majority country and Daesh is ideologically anti-Shia, it has killed thousands of Shias considering them kafir (infidel). After its expansion in Iraq only kilometers away from Iranian western borders, Islamic State became the biggest threat to the Shia Muslims of Iran. Therefore, Iran has been actively engaged in an ideological battle against the radicalism since the beginning of Syrian Civil War in 2011. It was the first Muslim country to provide assistance to Iraqi and Syrian regimes to fight Islamic State, deploying its troops in the two countries. It is still combating the takfirist terrorists of Islamic State in both Iraq and Syria. The Iranian Quds Force played pivotal role in military intervention against the Daesh. Al Jazeera once reported that hundreds Iranian Sunni Kurds crossed the Iran-Iraq border to fight Islamic State in January 2015.

As a result of its effective anti-terror strategy, the Jihadists of Islamic State, despite having their strong base in the close neighborhood, in Iraq and Syria, have not yet succeeded in Iran. Various research works and polls have shown that Islamic State got no recruitments from the Iranian Muslim society, not even from the Sunni community of Iran. At this juncture, we are amazed at the naivety of our anti-terror Indian establishments that could not prevent a few Indian Muslim youths from travelling to Iraq and Syria and joining the Islamic State.

While signing the 12 new agreements, India and Iran have also decided to jointly combat cyber crime to weaken the terror networks and radical recruiters. As the two strategic partners in counter-extremism, India and Iran can fiercely battle the online radical indoctrination. In fact, we have contagious cyber threat against peace, pluralism religious diversity in India. This forms the bedrock for the extremists’ recruitment of Indian youth. Growing cyber radicalisation and terrorists’ recruitments on social media are still unrestrained. Young and naive Muslims with impressionable minds are still being drawn into extremism through different online channels. Seductive messages in the disguise of Islamic exhortations easily catch the imagination of the young netizens in Indian subcontinent like in the Middle East, US and Europe. Inspired by the neo-Kharijite extremist ideology, a few Indian Muslim youths traveled to the Middle East, particularly in Iraq and Syria, for terrorist training that was meant to bring the cancer of radicalism back home. In this grim situation, the Indo-Iranian joint efforts to counter the cyber radicalization will be a panacea for this ill.

In an article published in The Guardian dated, 23 October 2014, Jason Webster explained how Sufism runs as ‘a natural antidote to fanaticism’. Sufism-inspired discourses on peacemaking and counter-extremism and deradicalisation have created interesting debates, enlarging the ambit of modern approaches to peace, pluralism and non-violence. Obviously, a Sufi is not much of a social scientist or a strategist, the pluralistic Sufi concepts and mystically-inclined Islamic narratives of peace and counter-extremism are worth deliberating.

In 2003, Stephen Schwartz wrote a groundbreaking book “Two Faces Of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and Its Role in Terrorism” in which he explained that Sufism is a “mystical branch” of Islam- the second largest religion of the world which has been conflated in sections of the media and academia, over a period of time, with violent extremism, exclusivism, puritanical fundamentalism, xenophobia and religo-facism. Given this, he hypothesised that an objective analysis of the mystical narrative of peace and counter-extremism and its ideological underpinnings in Islam will trigger an avid interest both in media and academia.

In the wake of the 9/11 bombings, a considerable corpus of literate was devoted to explain how peculiar and idiosyncratic elements of religion can motivate both violence and non-violence. Scholars well-versed in the sociology of world religions reproduced holistic analyses of the different, vibrant and myriad spiritual theories of peace and non-violence that emanate from the mystical interpretations of all religions. In the case of Islam, Sufism emerged as the spiritually-inclined version of faith helping in peacemaking and eradicating violence and extremism. Case studies of different religions and populations of faith adherents have been examined as practical applications of religions’ spiritual resources for counter-extremism.

On the contrary, the radical Islamist ideologues of the sectarian hue worked out a complete theology of anti-pluralism seeking to justify extremist thoughts and actions, sectarian conflicts, faith-inspired violence, wanton killing of civilians and suicide-bombing.

Representational image. AFP

In this backdrop, a rational and consistent narrative of peace and counter-extremism within an Islamic framework was called for. Therefore, noted Sufi scholars, not only in India but across the rest of the world brainstormed ways to tackle the onslaught of religious extremism catching the imagination of many young Muslim practitioners. In a bid to refute extremism on ideological grounds, they articulated a Sufism-inspired approach to peace and de-radicalization of the vulnerable sections of society. Thus, an Islam-based Sufi narrative of peace, counter-extremism and de-radicalization grounded in refutation of the extremist underpinnings was laid down.

The first research-based Sufi activism in this ideological field can be traced back to the post-9/11 outburst of views and debates on khilafah (caliphate), jihadism, hijrah (migration to lands of Islam), hakimiyah (divine rule on the earth) and other drives of religious extremism propounded by the radical Wahhabism. Since then, Sufi leaders and scholars have been seen in the global media as well as academia countering the violent extremism, intolerance, xenophobia, religio-fascism and other supremacist and exclusivist thoughts.

Remarkably, the first focus on this energetic facet of Sufism was carried out by Idries Shah around 50 year ago. Entitled “The Sufis”, his book had the renowned western writer Robert Graves writing a foreword for it. It was praised as “a seminal book of the century” by The Washington Post. Since then, much of the work on the similar lines has been carried out.

Of late, rigorous Sufi activism aimed at finding concrete counterpoints to extremism has been geared up in the Middle East, Europe and America, South Asia and other parts of the world. A considerable number of seminal research works on this subject have been accomplished in many peer-reviewed academic journals. Equally important is the increasing number of books and monographs on these themes as produced in the academic arena.

A recently-published book “State and Nation-Building in Pakistan: Beyond Islam and Security” mentioned that the former Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf needed to reinforce Sufi liberal attitudes to mitigate the sectarian conflicts in the country. “He (Musharraf) launched the concept of Enlightened Moderation at the 2002 Organization of the Islamic Conference meeting in Malaysia and emphasized Sufi teachings as a counter to extremism. In November 2006, he launched a National Sufi Council amidst great fanfare”. Government efforts ensured that the Sufi-oriented religious scholars of the Pakistani Education Board, Tanzimul Madaris discourage and rebut the twisted ideas leading to acts of terror and suicide bombing.

Until recently, Sufi Islam was not fashionable for many Pakistani Muslims. Rather, it was shunned not only by the upper class, government, military, and bureaucrats but also by academic and intellectual circles. But a reversing viewpoint is emerging now. Both academicians and bureaucrats are beginning to actively support Sufism as a much more tolerant version of Islam that can better equip them ‘to counter the rise of Islamic extremism in Pakistan’.

A ground-breaking work entitled “Re-Appropriating Sufi Authorship in New Media” clearly asserts that “Different factions of upper- and upper-middle-class Pakistani society-including politicians, intellectuals, filmmakers, and celebrities-have joined together to raise their voices in opposition to the extremist threat by reaffirming Sufism” (Cynthia Chris, David A. Gerstner, 2013).

At a time when Muslims are faced with the present-day cancer of growing sectarianism looming large in the global Islamic societies, Sufism is looked up to as a panacea for these ills.

Taliban, Al Qaeda, ISIS and all other terrorist organizations and un-Islamic elements have destroyed the brotherhood of mankind that was once established by the Sufi hospices. They go to the extent of brutal and bloodthirsty massacre of common civilians and non-combatant innocent Muslims as in Iraq and Syria in particular. At this juncture, Sufism comes as a rescue to the oppressed, because it rejects all extremist ideas and actions outright. Sufis were vehemently opposed to the brazen violation of human rights enshrined in Islam and exhorted the Muslim youth to shun takfiri indoctrination and wrong interpretations of the Quran and Hadith that go against the consensus of the Ummah. Even today, they denounce- in the harshest words- the wanton killing of civilians, destruction of property and wealth, rebellion against the government, accusing Muslims of kufr (Takfirism), demolition of shrines on both local and global levels. In clear and categorical words, it rebutted all intellectual, social, religious, political and economic or ideological terrorism.

While affirming the importance and the need of reviving Sufism, there is greater need to inculcate universal and egalitarian values-brotherhood of humankind, compassion, acceptance and tolerance, social affinity and national harmony. This is impossible in the Muslim society without promoting the tolerant, spiritual and moderate version of Islam.

However, the Sufi divines would do a great help to Indian Muslims if they do not merely reiterate “reformist Sufism” in the name of revival of Sufism. They need to support the non-conformist form of Sufism which is in full accordance with the universal prophetic traditions and in complete synergy with the spiritual and saintly righteous Muslims. We never endorse ignorance or illiteracy in the name of Sufism. Anything in the name of Sufism that doesn’t reflect itself in accordance with the Quran and Sunnah is null and void. Therefore, along with the revivalist Sufism, we strive to stress the need for the reformist Sufism.Going by history, this is an eternal fact that Islam in India owes much of its existence to Sufi Mashaikh, Saints and Dervishes. In the 13th century, Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz came to India and his arrival in India is regarded a great milestone in the path of love, equality, spirituality and peaceful Dawah work.

Hazrat Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz (r.a) pioneered the composite culture in India which still remains well-spirited, widely accepted and appreciated by the majority of Indian people. After Khwaja Ghareeb Nawaz, Khwaja Qutbuddin Bhaktiyar Kaki, Baba Farid, Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya, Makhdum Sayed Ashraf Jahangir Simnani and Ameer Khusro took this cause of eternal salvation ahead. They devotedly taught and promoted unconditional love, peace and all-embracing spirituality. Mere the reality that the shrines of these saints are still captivating people from all faith traditions, even after 800 years is self-explanatory that Sufism is a vital help in the current situation of hatred and malice.

In the backdrop of this, modern Sufis have come all out of their conclaves and hospices. They are declaring that the evils of ideological terrorism and extremism, materialism and opportunism can only be wiped out from the society through the restoration of Sufism, propagation of its peaceful massages, humane nature helping in the cessation of extremist thoughts and hardcore philosophies.

On the other hand, many anti-Sufism movements reared their head in the Muslim societies in the 19th century. They began to disparage Sufis as pseudo-Islamic spiritual masters. Though pacifist by nature, some well-spirited and energetic Sufis retorted this accusation calling it a tide of ideological extremism deep-rooted in the Muslim history. They link it with the ideology of Kharjism which basically emerged in the caliphate of Hazrat Ali (r.a), and was propagated among the Muslim fringes on the pretext of Qur’an and hadith, Prophetic sayings. In this beginning, Sufi divines remained confined to their shrines. As a result, particular Islamsit factions started adopting extremism, hatred, takfirism and wanton killing. This is, they view, is something that has brought the wider Muslim world and Middle East in particular to a grim and gory situation.

World Sufi Forum is going to begin in New Delhi at 7 pm on Thursday and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to begin his speech at around 7.30 pm

The PM is the only political leader in India who understands the dynamics of the Muslim problem.

The leaders of the Wahhabi section of Indian Sunni Muslims represented by the Deoband school, the missionary body Tablighi Jamaat, and another Wahhabi stream, Ahle Hadees, were into their familiar game of accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dividing the Muslim community recently, soon after Modi extolled Sufism at the World Sufi Forum in Delhi and called for encouraging it to counter radical Islam, leaving a deep impression on a series of Sufi scholars who were present at the meet.

The first salvo was fired by Maulana Arshad Madani of the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind (JUI), a Deobandi outfit. He accused Modi of dividing the Sunni Muslim community (Sunnis are divided into Wahhabi and Sufi sections in South Asia) by promoting Sufism. Next, a series of Urdu publications controlled by Wahhabis made the same allegation against Modi. Significantly, in the past one year, this was the third time that the Wahhabis were attacking Modi on the issue. The last two attacks followed soon after Modi met two different Sufi delegations in 2015.

What is the difference between Wahhabism and Sufism?

The attacks on Modi are, in fact, rooted in the internal religious dynamics of the Sunnis of India who form 85 per cent of the total 17 crore Muslim population in the country, and are divided among themselves into Wahhabi and Sufi sections, with the former constituting 35 and the latter 65 per cent of the 14-crore-plus Sunnis in India.

An intense struggle has been going on between the two factions for the past many decades with the Saudi Arabia-supported, powerful Indian Wahhabis working overtime to convert their fellow Sufis into Wahhabism in what is a battle of two religious ideologies – one moderate and inclusive, and the other orthodox and exclusive.

Significantly, the Sufis who are also known by two other names in India – Ahle-Sunnat and Barelvi – worship saints and celebrate Prophet Muhammed’s birthday as against the Wahhabis, and believe that Allah can’t be reached without the intercession of the souls of the Muslim saints buried in dargahs.

Sufism in India and Pakistan is symbolised by the dargahs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer, Nizamuddin Auliya in Delhi and Baba Farid in Pakistan. These are among the dargahs of hundreds of Sufi saints in the Indian subcontinent which are worshipped by Sufis as well as Hindus by laying chadar on them in what is the symbol of a truly syncretic culture.

On the other hand, the Wahhabis, driven by the radical ideology of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703-1792) of Saudi Arabia, believe that there can only be direct dialling between the believer and Allah because seeking intercession of a saint – a third party – in reaching out to the Almighty is akin to guru puja. They believe the practice of dargah worsip is an import from Hinduism and therefore un-Islamic.

Terrorists come from among the Wahhabis only and not the Sufis

Interestingly, all the terrorists in the world invariably belong to the Wahhabi stream while not a single terrorist comes from the Sufi stream. But only a minor section of the Wahhabis have taken to terrorism or have sympathised with terrorists, others understanding the pitfalls of terrorism. The arrival of the ultra-Wahhabi Islamic State (ISIS) and its medieval vandalism has created a scare amongst a big section of the Wahhabis about their survival in the wake of the world zeroing in on their ideology. This has further strengthened the moderate faction amongst the Wahhabis. The biggest symbol of this is the welcome that Prime Minister Modi is getting in Wahhabi countries like Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

How Wahhabis convert Sufis and how riots strengthen Wahhabism

But in India and Pakistan, the old game of Wahhabi preachers to convert impressionable Sufi youths into the Wahhabi fold continues. The communal clashes between Hindus and Muslims help the Wahhabi strategy. In Hindu-Muslim riots, it is the Sufis who largely bear the brunt of Hindu aggression in reaction to acts triggered by the Wahhabis. For example, in the 2002 Gujarat episode the Muslims who killed the 59 karsevaks at Godhra were Wahhabis and those who faced Hindu ire later, in reaction, were largely Sufis. How the Wahhabi conversion game operates is indeed interesting.

When the Sufi victims of communal riots land up in relief camps the Wahhabi preachers woo these riot victims with the aggressive brand of Wahhabism and convert them. The Wahhabi clerics’ missionary zeal and convincing power, backed by funds create an ideal platform for conversion in these situations.

Interestingly, the Sufi victims of the communal riots are told that they are facing the ire of Allah because they are following un-Islamic practices. The Wahhabi funds are often used in the form of subtle inducements to convert the Sufis who succumb to this ideology in those delicate phases.

No wonder then that incidents like the 2002 Gujarat riots and 1992-’93 Mumbai riots following the demolition of the Babri Masjid have strengthened Wahhabism in a big way, as these unfortunate episodes have been exploited by sections of Wahhabis to convert Sufis into their fold. In fact, that is how Wahhabi population has increased in India from less than ten per cent at the time of independence to 35 per cent now.

Interestingly, another factor that strengthened Wahhabism in India was the patronage that it got from the Congress since the days of the freedom struggle when the Deobandis, since they didn’t believe in territorial nationalism, shook hands with an unsuspecting Congress and Gandhiji and earned the label of “patriots” in the process. That’s how Abul Kalam Azad, a Wahhabi and a follower of the Deobandi school, could become the president of Congress twice. His second innings was in the most crucial phase – between 1939 and 1945 at the time of Second World War.

So it is was not surprising that Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad attended the massive anti-RSS/Modi rally organised by Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Hind (JUI) of Arshad Madani in Delhi last month in a vain bid to cash in on the artificial anti-RSS atmosphere built by the leftists with the support of a section of the media which, however, on the ground, was quite hollow.

The nationalist claims of the Indian Wahhabis are best exposed by the speech given by the late JUI leader Maulana Hussain Ahmed Madani in the 1945 JUI conference at Delhi which has been very precisely quoted by historian ZH Faruqi in his book The Deoband School and the Demand for Pakistan and also by reformist Muslim writer Hamid Dalwai.

Madani opposed the demand for Pakistan in that conference saying that he didn’t want Islam’s right to convert non-Muslims remain restricted to a small part of undivided India called Pakistan, thus clearly underlining that the Deobandis or Indian Wahhabis pitched for India against Pakistan since they were against territorial nationalism as they thought Islam’s right was to convert the entire world.

This is what Madani said in the 1945 conference: “It is the non-Muslims who are the field of this Tabligh (propagation and conversion) of Islam and form the raw material for this splendid activity. We are opposed to Islam’s right to do missionary activity to a particular area (read Pakistan).”

How Congress and Gandhiji helped strengthen Wahhabism

It is the one-sided secularism of Gandhiji that created room for the Wahhabis to enter the Congress and play their strategic game unhindered after the Mahatma shook hands with the pan-Islamists by supporting the Khilafat movement launched in 1920 by pan-Islamist Muslim leaders, including the Wahhabis for the reinstatement of the Khalifa of Turkey who had been unseated by the British. Once the Wahhabis earned the label of patriots, the patronage from the Congress helped them grow after independence and come up with the famous Qazmi Bill that proved to be a blow to Sufism.

The Bill which came soon after independence had a deep bearing on the growth of Wahhabism as it clubbed the Wahhabis and Sufis together under the label of Sunnis in what was a strategic move by the Wahhabis who controlled the levers of power in the ruling Congress at that time.

The power to appoint members on State Wakf Boards that controlled dargahs was given to the state governments. And since state governments, till only a few decades ago, were mostly of the Congress, a vast majority of the members appointed on the Waqf boards were Wahhabis. So in a unique and unjustifiable situation, the Wahhabis came to control the dargahs in which they didn’t believe, and according to allegations by many Sufis, started taking steps to erode Sufism through the backdoor.

When the Sufis protested against giving the control of dargahs to the non-dargah-believing Wahhabis through the backdoor, their protests fell on deaf years, thanks to the pro-Wahhabi Congress establishment. In some cases, the allegations of the Sufis that the Wahhabis were openly eroding Sufism was borne out by powerful evidence as in the case of the dargah of Dorabshah Baba in Navsari near Surat which would have been completely destroyed by the Wahabis but for the support of the BJP government in Gujarat.

What Wahhabis fear the most under Modi

The Sufis are demanding that since the Wahhabis don’t believe in dargah worship, the current Sunni Wakf Boards should be renamed Sufi Wakf Boards and their charge be exclusively given to the Sufis while floating a new Wakf Board for the Wahhabis in every state. Mohammed Hamid, president of the Sufi tanzeem, IMAN (Indian Muslim Association – Noorie) said: “Why should those who don’t believe in dargah worship control dargahs? It is a very legitimate demand of the Sufis.”

What the Wahhabis are fearing the most now is that the strengthening of the Sufis will embolden them to place this demand before the Central government and a sympathetic government might give in to their demand which has all the logic when it comes to evidence. Plus, the Sufis’ argument that the control of dargahs can’t be allowed to remain with those who don’t believe in dargah worship can stand scrutiny even in the court of law. No wonder then that a possible loss of control of the dargahs would shatter the Wahhabi dream of wiping out Sufism from the entire Indian subcontinent.

How the Wahhabi march slowed down in the Indian subcontinent

When the situation goes out of control it seeks natural channels for remedy. Wahhabism got a unexpected lift when Russia invaded Afghanistan in late-1979 and the then Pakistan president Zia-ul-Haq, a Wahhabi himself, used the opportunity to spread the ideology while seeking American help in the anti-communist drive.

The first stage comprised the training of mujahideens at Wahhabi madrasas in the North West Frontier Province with the help of America to fight the communist occupation of Afghanistan. Little did America know it was creating a Frankenstein. Eventually, the very Wahhabi fighters who were trained with American help started targeting America in an upsurge of ultra-Wahhabism which, in turn, started producing suicide bombers.

That’s how anti-America ultra-Wahhabi movements in the form of Taliban and Al-Qaeda surfaced. In Pakistan, the final upshot of these developments was that the ultra-Wahhabi suicide bombers started targeting Sufi shrines and mosques in the country in a bid to wipe out Sufism.

But what then happened was the most unexpected, and it pointed to how natural remedies are created in a hopeless situation. In what was a ripple reaction to the destruction of Sufi shrines the peace-loving and scattered Sufis, moved by the challenge of survival, started defending and uniting themselves and making their presence felt.

The consolidation of the Sufis slowly but effectively started curbing the conversion of Sufis to Wahhabism. By 2011, the conversion rate of Sufism to Wahhabism had greatly slowed down because of the awakening of Sufi youths to the dangers of Wahhabism both in India and Pakistan.

This was was best demonstrated by the turnout of lakhs of Sufis in the birthday procession of Prophet Muhammed (Wahhabis consider this procession un-Islamic) in both India and Pakistan in 2011. The turnouts were one of the biggest in both countries in many years and indicated an awareness amongst the Sufis about the Wahhabi threat.

Why Modi is the best bet for the Wahhabis

A senior officer in the prime minister’s office (PMO) very bluntly told a delegation of the Sufis recently that describing all Wahhabis as terrorists was unacceptable to the prime minister as he firmly believed that a very small section of Wahhabis had taken to terrorism or sympathised with the terrorists.

He was only reiterating what Modi has indicated in the past: while he would promote Sufism he would also like to take the moderate Wahhabis along who are genuinely against terrorism. Modi’s stand is just and is borne out by evidence. The first clue to the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts was provided to the police by a Wahhabi.

So not surprisingly, Modi is the only political leader in India who understands the dynamics of the Muslim problem and has some vision on how to tackle it. The only correction Modi needs to bring in himself is that he has to be more pronounced in his disapproval when BJP leaders like Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Sakshi Maharaj and Giriraj Singh tend to equate and condemn all Muslims by their senseless statements.

Clearly, Modi is the best bet for even the moderate Wahhabis in India.

The belief that a soul can achieve union with God brought Sufis into conflict with Islamic orthodoxy.

The political use of Sufism is not a new thing. Rulers have always tried to invoke popular religion and spirituality for the legitimation of their power. Conversely, men of religion and spiritual leaders have also tended to intervene in matters of politics and governance.

Historically, in India, interactions between political and spiritual domains have created conditions for general public weal through inclusive political theory and practice, as well as recognition of shared and pluralistic cultural traditions with space for diversity and difference. Sufism has contributed immensely to these processes, marking India’s civilisational achievements with peace and tolerance as defining features. It is important that these virtues of Sufi-oriented Islam are highlighted, especially in these times of hatred and violence.

Sufis or Muslim holy men styled themselves as lovers of God. The early Muslim mystics, who were often charismatic leaders with popular appeal, were eventually organised or institutionalised in silsilas, or orders, branching into quite a few competing strands. To start with, the living Sufi master (referred to as sheikh, khwaja, pir) guided followers or visitors at his dwelling place (khanqah/jama’atkhana), but later the shrines (dargahs) of Sufis of previous generations became important and grew into places of pilgrimage, eventually carving a whole sacred geography of Sufism, called wilayat.

What distinguished Sufism from other forms of Islam was its belief that a human soul could achieve union with God, a belief later formulated in the doctrine of wahdat-ul-wujud (unity of existence, or monism as a reality). This doctrine often brought Sufis into conflict with Islamic orthodoxy (represented by the Sunni Hanafi ulama or theologians). The latter believed that God was unique and therefore to suggest that a human’s soul could achieve union with God was to imply that there was no distinction between God and human beings. It is for this reason that we find that even before Islam came to India, Sufis were persecuted for heresy. Sufis were also targeted by the ulama for their occasional indifference to formal religious practices such as regular congregational prayers (namaz/salat), instead focusing on meditations and spiritual exercises which included music.

Sufis played a significant role in the growth and development of the vernacular literature (Urdu, Hindi, Deccani, etc). Their contribution to the spread of poetry and music is equally notable (mahfil-i sama or qawwali). Sufi orders such as the Chishtis used song and dance techniques of concentration and for creating spiritual ecstasy. The wahdat-ul-wujud and several forms of meditation brought the Sufis spiritually very close to certain strands of non-Muslim religious traditions. For example, Advaita Hinduism claimed that atma (a human soul) and parmatma (God) were one and the same, a theory similar to wahdat-ul-wujud. Similarly, Sufis found much to learn from Hindu spiritual disciplines such as yoga, which influenced their techniques of meditation such as pranayama (breath control).

If Sufis learnt from non-Muslim traditions, the local, Indic, traditions (local, foreign, Indic are sensitive categories which must be used with care), were also powerfully affected by the principles of Islam as represented by the Sufi saints. In the teachings of Kabir and Nanak one can see the clear imprint of Sufi Islam. The criticism of idol worship, of useless ritual, emphasis on equality, emphasis on one God, are all to be traced to Sufism. Its greatest contribution to Indian culture is considered to be the example it set in the field of religious and cultural co-existence. Indian Sufi orders showed that Muslim and non-Muslim religious traditions could prosper side by side and learn from each other.

In conclusion, Sufis dedicated themselves to the love of God, which in turn meant love for all His creations—translating into charitable endeavours, blessings and benediction, and notions of egalitarianism; service to humanity through feeding (langar), healing (jhar-phuk, blowing and touching, charms and amulets), etc., were considered a better form of worship than ritualistic prayers; control of the lower self, nafs, and cultivation of the heart, qalb, through a variety of meditational-cum-bodily practices and withdrawal from this-worldly demands, tark-i duniya, with the same kind of intensity as the madness of Majnun and yet superior to him, for the latter sacrificed his life for a perishable Laila, whereas Sufis devoted themselves for an eternal God. In an ecstatic love for God, Sufis could also sing and dance, not in a vulgar manner, but in the most aesthetically sophisticated forms developed through centuries of practice, teaching all along the virtues of tolerance and peace. When Sufis passed away, celebrated as marriage or union with God, Urs, they left behind memories to be cherished forever. The shared legacy of Sufism coupled with inclusive political practices have shown it is possible to address the aspirations of a variety of people, leading to peaceful co-existence in what is aptly referred to as unity in diversity.

All India Ulama and Mashaikh Board

It has been established with the basic purpose of popularizing the message of peace of Islam and ensuring peace for the country and community and the humanity. AIUMB is striving to propagate Sunni Sufi culture globally .Mosques, Dargahs, Aastanas, and Khanqwahs are such fountain heads of spirituality where worship of God is supplemented with worldly duties of propagating peace, amity, brotherhood and tolerance.